COLOMBO: Tamil and Muslim politicians as well as civil rights activists in Sri Lanka have called upon the government of President Maithripala Sirisena to take stern action against the revival of hate speech against the Tamil and Muslim minority communities.

The minister of national coexistence, Mano Ganesan, National Unity Alliance leader Asad Sally and the Centre for Policy Alternatives, have called for stringent action related to recent incidents that included a senior monk abusing in public a Tamil government official in eastern Batticialoa with death threats.

Fears are mounting that such incidents will irrevocably damage the post war reconciliation process of the Sirisena government that attempts to bring about healing of ethnic strife after a bloody 30 year war.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2016